EVALUATION OF STENTS FOLLOWING SEPTOPLASTY

This prospective study was designed to evaluate the immediate postoper ative course and long-term efficacy of septal stents. In 20 patients w ho underwent primary septorhinoplasty, Doyle II silicone stents were i nserted bilaterally parallel to the septum. The stents were removed af ter an average of 3.3 days. A hollow tube was designed into this parti cular stent in an attempt to minimize patients discomfort from nasal a irway obstruction. Subjective ratings of airway improvement were very similar for patients whose septums were supported with nasal stents an d for those patients from our 1989 study whose noses were treated with nasal packing. However, the number of patients who complained about d iscomfort was substantially higher in the stent group, 60% (12 of 20), compared with the nasal packing group, 22% (5 of 23 patients) (p < 0. 05). The percentage of partial residual or recurrent septal deviation was also slightly higher in the stent group, 25% (5 of 20), than in th e packing group, 13% (3 of 23 patients), but this was not statisticall y significant (p > 0.50). The alar base incision was partially dehisce d during removal of the stent in one patient, in spite of a routine re duction in the width of the splint.